IMPBA Nitro Nats - where is everybody?

I got a call from Chris Rupley last night asking if I've been on RC Racing Events lately and seen the entries for the Nitro Nats. I told him that I had been having issues getting to the RCRE race entry page but was already entered (first one entered actually). He then went on to tell me the boat count sits at 38 boats??????? HUH??? SAY WHAT??? So I went out to the shop and was able to access RCRE from my PC out there and sure enough he was right. So what going on???? Where is everyone???? Are people having issues trying to enter???? Is everyone waiting until the last minute???? A couple years ago when Charleston hosted the Nats and used the longer US-1 format many complained they could not take that much time off. We also heard people couldn't make it because schools were still in session. So here we are using the shorter National Championship format and scheduled the event for after schools are off for the summer and the entries are seriously lacking so what's up??????

hey don

i know for me. it is to far away.. 20 + hrs.. that is to much driving for me.. but i speak only for me.

i have talked to alot of others and the consensus is that most people that we/they typically race with will not be going.. again that is just what i hear.. just passin that along for what it is worth

chris

Chris Wood said:

hey don

i know for me. it is to far away.. 20 + hrs.. that is to much driving for me.. but i speak only for me.

i have talked to alot of others and the consensus is that most people that we/they typically race with will not be going.. again that is just what i hear.. just passin that along for what it is worth

chris

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Same here for us too far... also seems like all the southern guys are going gas or just not racing at all.. Huntsville is having the same problem with their 3 day race..

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it either, just too stretched for time with house reno's etc.

I would love to go to this race. However, like the others who posted it's too far away to justify...

Adam

I can understand the distance thing to a point, the 16+ hour drive for me to Hobart each year is a killer.

With that being said how about the folks who've BEEN THERE before and multiple times at that...........

Well it is a long way to travel but the main thing I think is the number of big races during the year takes away some of the importance of the nitro nats heat racing.

We only have so much time and cash to do the races on the schedule as is.

IF some club would think to do the US 1 format it would interest more racers, but there is the time and money thing again.

Location and time of year is the big thing.

It sure isnt the club in Charleston that is holding back entries they do a first class job.

It's totally the distance for me. Distance means time and money. Travel and accommodations is the #1 killer these days for model boat racing. I would love to attend a race in Charleston as I've heard nothing but good about the site and the club that hosts. Problem is... 2 days there and 2 back plus 4 or five days in a hotel adds up to cubic dollars. Not to mention fuel, meals and incidentals.

And as much as I don't like to admit it. Nitro is alive but not very well if you ask me. The attendance is down EVERYWHERE with very few exceptions. People are picking and choosing the events they attend. Nitro only races are kinda like Walmart... Only the strong survive!

I have entered and I am looking forward to racing in a location that is new for me. It is a long trip, but well worth it to race in a national level event. Out here in the Western part of the USA and Canada, we are used to travelling a distance to attend a boat race. The race closest to my home is 350 miles each way and the next closest race is over 500 miles, each way.

I have spoken to a few people who I thought would attend, and they have told me that they have just not yet entered, but will soon. I certainly hope that there will be a good turnout.

Al Hobbs

My schedule this year:

April Sequoyah Nuclear unit 1 refuel 20

June Watts Bar Nuclear unit 2 Hot Functional testing

July Watts Bar Nuclear unit 2 Containment Integrated Leak Rate Test

September Watts Bar unit 1 refuel 13

October Sequoyah Nuclear unit 2 refuel 20

November Watts Bar unit 2 initial fuel load (first USA new nuclear plant of the 21st century)

December Watts Bar unit 2 initial startup and power ascension testing

Tons of money to buy boats but not a whole lot of time to race them.

Just too busy , seem to be working every Saturday . I'll be there in October .

Haven't posted on I.W. in some time, sold all my Nitro stuff last year because nitro racing at all but a couple events in IMPBA is dead.

It's been that way at the club and district level for some time now with the exception of a couple small pockets through out North America.

Most club races now are combining classes just so they can race, far cry from what it once was.

People can pretend that all is well and that it's the economy or something else but the fact is there are very few NEW people getting into Nitro and the older guys are slowly getting out.

You can get mad at me for speaking the truth. you can bury your head in the sand and say I have no clue and that's cool. Not pointing fingers just been around for a very long time and have seen Nitro slowly erode to the state its at now.

Is thee a cure ? I don't think so, it's the natural evolution of the hobby as well as the complete reluctance of the Dinosaurs of Nitro allow change so it can evolve and grow.

Think about it , nitro has seven, eight rigger classes alone, that crazy, especially with so few racing nitro and even fewer willing to travel any real distance to race.

I have a couple gas boat but can't get excited about gas, I love Nitro and always will and I hate seeing what's become of Nitro racing but Gas is the future of the hobby like it or not.

Tim K

Sold all my nitro engines. Gas is just as fast and does not burn my eyes like nitro fumes do. Not to mention glow plug and nitro costs have become crazy. I am going to the gas nats and it sold out in a few hours. Like Tim said...........like it or not, gas is the future and guess what....the future is here..

John

Maybe its time to redefine classes

There maybe to many classes time to combine. Electric gas an nitro! Ones will cry not fare.

For me it's the distance to just heat race. I would like to see a centrally located event with time trials. Heat racing is great and all, but combined with time trials really makes the event "special".

Ron,

We hosted the Internats in 2012 and few came. We lost money as 3 sets of trophies are required and they are not cheap. We even got the site surveyed for time trial records and that cost mega $$$. One comment then was the amount of time required to attend it and kicked a lot out from coming. They wanted a shorter event with less cost, so we listened and are hosting the Nitro Championships, and now this. Just makes any club reluctant to host either of them especially the longer Internats. Not all of the events can be held in the Midwest.

The interest in the race must pick up very soon or it will be in jeopardy. Plain and simple.

John Knight said:

Ron,

We hosted the Internats in 2012 and few came. We lost money as 3 sets of trophies are required and they are not cheap. We even got the site surveyed for time trial records and that cost mega $$$. One comment then was the amount of time required to attend it and kicked a lot out from coming. They wanted a shorter event with less cost, so we listened and are hosting the Nitro Championships, and now this. Just makes any club reluctant to host either of them especially the longer Internats. Not all of the events can be held in the Midwest.

The interest in the race must pick up very soon or it will be in jeopardy. Plain and simple.

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totally understand. We (D 4) ran the internats with the US-1 format in E ville one year and had a really good turnout and made a lttle money. I guess maybe it's a LOCATION cycle.

Right you are Jr, 2008.. right smack dab in the middle of the "crappy economy" and we STILL got boats to come.

Reason, Midwest.. The AMA sight is in the Midwest and for good reason. They could have planted that business ANYPLACE In the US and chose the Midwest. why.. location, location, location..(just hard facts)

No.. not everybody is going to make it.. again just hard facts.. but a central location is about as neutral as you can get.

Grim

A lot has changed in seven years guys, none of the above issues mentioned would be a factor if there were enough people supporting nitro.

Some of you are getting off topic, leave the gas vs. nitro stuff for another day. The point here is while the entries are seriously lagging I'm certain beyond a doubt that the Fall Nats at this location will once again have a huge nitro turn out like it always does so where are those same racers for this event??